Ashes to Ashes
by Clovermaple
Summary: Ashes is a 16 year old girl from District 6. She's a daughter, a friend, a nurse, a lover, a sister, and now a tribute. Will she survive the deadly 66th hunger games arena? and if she doesn't, what will happen to her after she dies? Please R&, please note, district six in this story is Medicine and science
1. Chapter 1-The reaping

**So, this is the story of myself when I go into the games. My name is Ashes and just so all of you know, the people mentioned are actual people that I know, their names have just been changed to protect their identity. Please R&R, I may give sponsor points to help Ashes in the arena. Anyways, enjoy. Also, I'm really sorry for the crapyness of this first chapter, the rest of the chapters are much better, I promise  
**

**Chapter one-The Reaping**  
My little sisters scream wakes me from a restless sleep and I dart into her room. She sits on her bed, tears of sheer terror dripping down her face. "It's okay, Daevyn, it was just a dream" I say hugging her closely. She wipes the tears from her eyes as she looks at me with her gray eyes. They are so unlike my own that one would question our relation, but the truth is, I'm only her half sister. "Thanks Ash, I feel better now" She says, lying back down. I tuck her back in and kiss her forehead. "Sleep for a little longer alright, I'm gonna go get ready for the reaping" I say, leaving her room quietly.

The hot water from the shower is soothing on my slightly tanned skin. My dirty blonde hair becomes soaked within moments of the water touching it and it turns more brown than blonde. I wash my hair thoroughly and rinse, watching as the suds are sucked down the drain before turning off the water and stepping out of the shower. The bathroom mirror is fogged up so I can't see a thing but that is alright, I have one in my room. The air is cold against my damp skin so I quickly towel off and hurry back to my room. I've layed out my favorite dress, a violet sleevless dress with white trimmings, on my bed and slide it over my head. The fabric rustles softly whenever I move. The dress was a gift from my mom who knows I love violet.

I look at the clock on my night table and realize that it's 7:45. The reapings start at 9 so I should probably get everyone else up. I tiptoe down the hall into my brothers room and turn on his light. He groans and rolls over, covering his head with a pillow. "It's reaping day Colban, time to get up" I say cheerily. "you know, for someone who might be going to the capitol today, you sound pretty cheerful" he says yawning. I smile. "There's only a slight chance of me being picked so I try not to worry about it too much" I say, leaving his room and going into my sisters room. She's still awake so I just turn on her light and leave. _Next my parents_ I think, knocking on my moms door. "Mom, its reaping day, we have to be there in an hour and fifteen" I call.

By the time we get to the square, it's packed with people. A temporary stage has been set up at the front and two huge glass bowls full of paper sit on stools on opposite sides of the stage. The Mayor, Mr. Hale, sits up at the front along with his wife and their two year old son, Mitchel. I check in, say good bye to my family, and click over to where the other girls my age stand. I decided to put on a pair of heals just because, plus, they're my favorite pair of shoes, violet open toed heels that are about 3 inches tall. My two best friends, Kierin and Angie, smile grimly at me as we wait for the escort to arrive. The clicking of heels alerts the whole district that Bailee Massina has arrived and is making her way up onto the stage. This year she wears a powdered blue wig and a matching outfit that looks kind of ridiculous. I share mocking glances with Kierin and Angie while she gives her spiel and shows us the same movie they've shown every year. _okay, we know why we're here, get on with it already._ I think. She finally clacks over to the girls reaping ball. "Ladies first" Bailee says,plucking a name from the ball. She clacks back over to the microph one and unfolds the paper. "Ashes Davis"


	2. Chapter 2-Bittersweet goodbyes

**so, this is chapter 2 of Ashes to Ashes, Please Read and Review, all comments are welcome(just as long as they aren't too mean or nasty) Anyways, enjoy.**

**Bittersweet goodbyes**

I sit on the couch inside the room of the justice building where I will say good-bye to my friends and family. I Won't cry, I refuse to. I can't show weakness to the people of the capitol, that will not win me any sponsors. The door opens and Colban launches himself into my arms. "Ash, you have to win" He says, tears glistening in his baby blue eyes. I nod, knowing full well that I will never be coming home. He rests his head on my shoulder and I feel his tears fall onto my shoulders. "I'll try, I promise Colby. But I want you to do something for me, I want you to look after Boo alright, I know she drives you crazy sometimes, but she's going to need you" I say. He nods, wiping the tears from his eyes. I let go of him and my sisters arms wrap around me. "I love you Ash, I'll miss you" She says, trying to stay strong. I force a smile. "I love you too Boo bear. I'll see you when I get home okay" I say. She nods and lets go of me. "Take care kid," My step dad says as he embraces me and kisses the top of my head. I nod. "I'll try." I say. _I won't cry_ I tell myself. He lets go of me and the air around me feels cold where there was once warmth. My mom has tears glistening in her eyes as she hugs me. "I love you bean" She says softly. I feel wetness fall onto my scalp and know that she is crying. "I love you too mom" I say, unable to hold back the tears. She lets go of me as the peace keepers tell them it's time to leave. "Take care" I call as the door shuts in my face and they're gone. I sit back down on the couch, waiting for more people.

The grandfather clock ticks away in the corner, letting me know that I have another 45 minutes before I will leave my district forever. The doorknob turns and Angie and Kierin walk in. They both hug me tightly, squishing me between the two of them until I almost can't breathe. "Okay, guys, I can't breathe, let go" I say, pushing them back. They step back a half step and I look at the two of them. "Ashes, when you get into the arena, stay away from the cornucopia, don't go into the blood bath its not worth it." Kierin says, looking at me. Her grey eyes are serious, so unlike the mischief thats usually in them. "I've already decided that the cornucopia will be the last place I go unless I absolutely have to" I say, hugging her again. She embraces me tightly and I feel a single tear fall onto my shoulder. "I'll miss you" She says before stepping back. "Yeah, you're a healer, if you get hurt, do whatever you can to heal yourself" Angie says, hugging me tightly. Her smell wafts over me. She smells familiar, like home. I suppress tears as she lets go of me and we wait for the peace keepers. When they do finally come, the three of us share one last group hug before the door closes and they are gone forever. I let a single tear fall down my cheek before my next visitor.

"Ashes, why did it have to be you?" Viv asks as he enters the room. He embraces me tightly and I hug him back. "I don't know, I guess the odds just aren't in my favor" I say, trying to smile but it comes out as more of a grimace than a smile. He steps back but stays relatively close to me. "I have something for you, in the arena, you're allowed to wear something to remind you of home. I thought you'd want this" He says, producing a locket attatched to a chain. I lift my hair and he clasps it around my neck. The locket rests on my chest and I touch it lightly. "Open it" He says. I do and inside are pictures of my three best friends; Angie, Kierin, and him. I fight back tears as I look at him. "It's beautiful. Thank you so much" I say, hugging him. He says soothing words but I don't really pay attention. It's just nice to be in his arms. _Perhaps, if I weren't going to die, we could have been more than friends_ I think as he lets go of me and is gone in seconds. "I love you Viv" I whisper to the closed door.

Bailee's high pitched voice announces that it's time to go and I exit the room. My district partner, Vulcan Rodrigues, looks at me with pity in his eyes. He's a fairly well built guy, 5'11" tall and weighs probably close to 200lbs but all of it is muscle. His eyes are hazel colored and his hair is dark. He's a year older than me and I've seen him a couple of times around the district. Bailee leeds us to a car and we sit inside. I've never been in a car and the speed at which it travels takes my breath away. I watch out the window as my home blurs by before we come to a stop in front of the train station. I look at Vulcan. "You ready?" He asks. I nod and we step onto the train.

**Please tell me what you think. I'm working on the next chapter right now so it should be up soon. Please Review, I'd appreciate it.**


	3. Chapter 3 To the capitol

**Thank you very much for your reviews. I will be improving my style of writing so that it's easier to follow. Hope you enjoy the next chapter.**

**Chapter 3-The Train**

The train is exquisite. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling and a lovely aroma fills the room.

"What is that wonderful smell?" I ask out of curiosity

"Our lunch" Bailee replies "It's not for another hour so you may do as you like until then"

I nod and decide to explore a little bit. The first thing I do though, is take off the heals. They are starting to hurt my feet and I don't want to have blisters on my feet when I arrive at the capitol. If I'm going to my death, I at least want to look nice. I don't even notice that we've started to move. The only thing that alerts me to it is the shapes outside whizzing by.

"Wait, how fast are we going?" I ask

"250 miles and you barely feel a thing,"

_Thats fast_ I think before wandering down the halls

My room, when I open the door, at first sight looks very simple. It's not until I fully enter the room that I realize how intricate and detailed it is. The wallpaper is patterned with flowers and natural things. I trace my hand over one pattern that seems to be roses intertwined with a fence. The pattern is lovely but I find it hard to follow with my finger. After a few moments, I give up trying to trace it and wander over to the bed. It's softer than any bed I've ever felt and I'm sucked into it the moment I sit down. _joys, the bed wants to eat me_ I think, suppressing a laugh. I lie back and look up at the ceiling, which has designs of animals carved into it. I try to identify all the animals but can only name a few. _Cat, dog, wolf, bear, fish, horse, sheep, goat, some sort of half human half goat thing, butterfly,_ I think, staring at it in awe.

After a few moments of trying to identify the animals, I get bored. Sitting up, I remember the necklace Viv gave me and finger it. The locket opens easily and I stare at the smiling faces of my best friends. _I miss you guys already_ I think, trying to send my thoughts to my friends, it doesn't work though, much to my disappointment.

"Lunch"

Bailee's voice startles me out of a daydream about my friends. I groan as I attempt to get out of the bed that seems to have its mind set on eating me and pad down the hall to the dining car. Bailee sits at the table along with a young woman whom I recognize instantly as one of our mentors, and a man in his late forties whom I've seen but can't name.

"These two are your mentors, Mint and Chamomile, listen well to them as they've been in the games before"

The two of them nod in turn before the man speaks up.

"Well, we might as well get to the point, what can the two of you do?"

"I can heal, I'm a nurse back at home" I reply softly

"Alright, is there anything else you can do?"

"Umm, I can kind of throw knives" My voice is unsure

"okay, what about you, boy, what can you do?" His attention turns to Vulcan who has been silent since we left the justice building.

"I'm pretty good with hand to hand combat" His voice is unsure

"Alright, we can work with that."

I chew my nails before Chamomile's sharp and pointed look stops me. I'm nervous about arriving at the capitol, I know that I'll never return from it because I'm not a killer, as much as they may want me to be.

* * *

The train goes dark as we enter the tunnel that leads to the capitol and I stare out, nervousness clawing at my stomach. I feel sick at the thought of what is to come in the next few weeks. As we exit the tunnel, I'm blinded by multicolored lights that make the pictures we see at home seem pale compared to the real thing.

"And that, my dears, is the capitol" Bailees voice chirps

I look at Vulcan who's sitting at the table "Come on, they'll love it if you wave" I say

He gets up and joins me by the window, waving and smiling at the crowd.

"You scared?" I ask

"Terrified"


	4. chapter 4 prep for parade

**So this is Chapter four. Please R&R, all Criticisim is welcome, just don't be too harsh please. I like this chapter because it's a bit more about me and I've added some personal details about myself in real life, you just have to look for them  
**

**Chapter 4-Plucked, polished, washed, and waxed **

"oh, good lord, your legs, they're covered in hair" A woman with dark purple locks says

"Don't worry, Audrey, you can easily fix that" Another woman with huge eyelashes says soothingly

RRRRRRIIIIIP. Another wax strip is torn, pulling with it all the hair right from their cuticles. I wince but try to stay relatively still. These people haven't been too bad to me so I'll cooperate. I've been here for only a few minutes and already my skin hurts.

Once I've been waxed of all hair, I'm led into a bathroom and forced into a bath of strong smelling perfumes. The stuff makes my skin tingle and I realize I forgot to tell my prep team that sometimes my skin reacts with certain chemicals.

"umm, I should probably tell you that I'm slightly allergic to some chemicals," I say, feeling guilty.

"Oh, don't worry dear, this stuff is proven to not react with the most sensitive of skin." Audrey says.

I nod and slip into the tub. The strong scents overwhelm my senses and I feel my eyes start to water. _this stuff is really strong_ I think as the preps bathe me in the stuff. I don't like it at all but I don't complain any more.

Once they're finished with the bath, my dirty blonde hair is brushed and straightened, showing just how long its grown.

"Your stylist said that we are to leave your hair down once it's straightened." the girl with long eyelashes says.

I nod. "Whatever they want" I say.

As soon as they're finished, they leave me without any clothes. I feel naked and vulnerable when they leave, not knowing who my stylist will be. I'm pleasantly surprised when a small woman enters the room and smiles at me. She's got dark hair and friendly eyes.

"Hello, I'm Lucie and I will be your stylist" Her voice is sweet and soft

"Hello." I say

"Put on this robe and we'll talk"

She hands me a robe and we sit down on a couch.

"what am I wearing?"

"I think you will like it, It's based on your districts main production. Since district 6 is medicine, you will be a nurse"

_oh, that should be interesting_ I think as she unzips a canvas bag revealing a super short nurses dress. I notice to my dismay that there are no tights to wear underneath. A beautiful pair of white ballerina flats are paired with it along with a nurses hat.

"It's lovely but I'm gonna state for the record right now that my dad would not approve" I say giggling.

"Well, your dad doesn't get a choice in the matter"

I slip the dress on and she does it up in the back. The dress barely comes down to the middle of my thighs and there are no sleeves. I feel a blush creep over my cheeks. I'm not exactly the most confident person when it comes to showing off skin, which a lot of is showing.

"You look drop dead gorgeous" She smiles positioning the hat on my head just perfectly.

I look at myself in the full length mirror and am shocked at the person staring back at me. She looks _hot_ a word I never thought I'd be able to associate with myself. The corners of the reflections mouth pull up and I flash a seductive smile.

"Perfect. My work here is done" Lucie says.

"Thank you"

We walk down to the stables, me being very careful with the dress so that it doesn't rise up. Once we arrive, I go straight to my chariot, my cheeks flaming as everyone turns to look at me. Petting the horse soothes me and allows the blush to go away from my cheeks. Suddenly, I feel breath on my neck and turn to see who it is

"Well, my my district 6, looking hot aren't you" A boy with brown hair whom I'm assuming is from District 2 says.

A blush colors my cheeks as I look at him. "Umm...thanks" I say.

"Aww, your cute when you're embaressed" my cheeks flame brighter red. _Why did Lucie put me in this_

"Leave her alone, 2" Vulcans voice saves me from further conversation with the boy.

"Oh, relax 6, I'm just being nice" The boy says , winking at me before heading back to his own chariot.

I look at Vulcan and mouth _Thanks_before looking around and noticing that everyones eyes are on me.

**End of Chapter 4**

**Please tell me what you think also, all the people except for the escort, mentors, and Vulcan, are all people that I actually know. anyways, Next chapter will be up whenever I get the chance to post it**


	5. Chapter 5 tribute parade

**Okay, so this is Chapter 5 of Ashes to Ashes, I'm so sorry it took so long to update, I've been so busy lately with the SYOT please R&R**

**Chapter 5- Hot Damn**

As soon as the chariot pulls out, cheers fill the avenue. I plaster my biggest smile on my face and wave to the crowd. The crowd loves me and I blush as I hear whistles of appreciation. I'm obviously a hit with the crowd.

"You're doing great keep it up" Vulcan says

I smile at him before turning back to the crowd. They call my name and see the girl from district one shooting me a death glare. I return her glare before turning my attention back to the crowd.

We stop in front of the presidents mansion and President Snow greets us with his usual spiel about our bravery and courage. _because we have a choice_ I think bitterly as we are rolled into the training center. As soon as the doors close and the chariot stops, Vulcan helps me off the chariot and we are engulfed by our stylists and mentors

"you were amazing" this from Lucie

"well done you two" says Mint.

i smile before seeing the guy from district 2 and 1 checking me out. The boy from 2 is medium height with tanned skin and dark hair while the boy from one is huge with brown hair and pale skin. I blush and look at Vulcan.

"Let's go upstairs" I say

he nods and we take the elevator up to the sixth floor.

**sorry, short chapter but my head is in the clouds right now . Please R&R I love reading your comments**


	6. Chapter 6-Training day 1 part 1

Hi,** so I know its kind of confusing as to why Ashes comes from a district that does Medicine and Science, so heres the reason why. I'm on a forum where that is D6's main industry. I decided it fit a lot better with Ashes being from a Medicine district than a transportation District. Anyways, here's the next chapter.**

**Chapter 6-Gavin**

As soon as all the make up is off my face, I flop down onto the luxurious bed and hide under the covers, wanting to get the image of the district 2 boy out of my head. _this is not a place to fall in love_ I tell myself sternly. The oxygen under the covers runs out and I push off the covers, gasping for air. I check the clock, 7:00 pm. _What are my siblings doing now?_ I wonder. I get off the bed and wander into the dining room. An elaborate feast has been set up for Vulcan and me so I fill my plate. While eating my stylist, Lucie, enters with Bailee, Mint, and Chamomile on her heal. They all beam at me.

"Excellent work Ashes, the sponsors love you" Lucie says

I smile at all of them before Vulcan makes an appearance. He fills his plate and plops down beside me.

"You look like you again" He teases

I smack him lightly. "Well, duh, who else would I look like?" I joke.

* * *

Walking into training the next morning is like a slap in the face. I'm not prepared for what I see, people fighting, throwing knives, decapitating dummies. I look away from it all, unable to see this violence that is all against my nature. An urge to stop them fills me but i push it down, now is not the time to make enemies.

I feel eyes on me and look up to see the boy from district one looking at me. He smiles as I catch him and I blush, turning away. I've always been shy around guys, especially cute ones and this boy was no exception. Probably, if he got me talking though, I'd warm up to him but this is also not the time to make friends as all of them will likely be dead in the next few weeks.

Seeing as I will probably have to learn to use a weapon eventually, I head over to the throwing knives table and attempt to throw them. My aim fails miserably. I feel a hand on my arm and I turn to see the boy from district one.

"You throw it like this, let your wrist do all the work, you'll tire yourself out otherwise" he says

I look at him in bewilderment and he gently shows me exactly how to stand and throw the knife. My aim, by the time he finishes, improves a lot. The knife whistles through the air and embeds itself into one of the dummies. At first I feel proud of myself then what I've done sinks in.

"I just killed that dummy" I say, feeling tears spring to my eyes. The boy from one nods, seeing my pain.

"In the arena, it'll be kill or be killed, which would you prefer?" he asks. The question seems stupid until I realize what he means. If I want to win, which I do, I'm going to have to kill.

"I'm not trained to fight or kill, I'm trained to heal and help others, this game goes against everything I've been taught" I say softly. His brown eyes soften as he looks at me.

"I'm guessing you're a nurse" He says. I nod. "That explains it" his comment confuses me.

"Explains what?" I demand.

"How you were able to look so good in that outfit" his reply is cocky and his tone matches the grin on his face. I feel an urge to slap that grin off his face but restrain myself.

His comment also makes me blush beat red. "What's your name, one?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

"Gavin, you're Ashes right?" He says. I nod. "well, I guess I'll see you around-" he's cut off by a cry of pain.

My training kicks in and I don't even think as I rush to where a girl sits holding her leg. Blood wells from the wound but it looks relatively minor. "I know first aid, can I help you?" I ask. She nods. I call to one of the women standing around and ask her for a first aid kit. She's quick and returns within moments with a first aid kit. I set to work imediately. Her pant leg is red with blood and I'm forced to cut away the pant to expose the wound. It's bleeding minorly and I put gauze on it. "Hold that on it for a few moments while I get the bandages" I say. She does as I say and I unroll the bandages.

Once she's bandaged up and everything, I finally get a good look at her. She's got dark hair and dark eyes, the girl from District four. "Let that rest for now, don't do anything too strenuous" I instruct. She looks at me with awe as she nods. I turn away from her and walk away, intending to wash the blood off my hands.

"That was amazing, where'd you learn that?" Gavins voice says from behind me. I turn and feel a blush creep over my cheeks.

"It was nothing, most kids from my district could do that" I say trying to hide my embaressment.

"You would be quite helpful to us, perhaps you would consider joining us?" he asks

I gasp. "But, I'm not a career"

"Don't worry, we'll teach you"

I don't know what to say about it but one look at his face make me decide to join them, they're bloodthirsty yes but at least they could help me get home to my family.

* * *

I walk next to Gavin as he heads towards the sword fighting station.

"Hey, Ivy, come meet Ashes" He calls to one of the girls practicing. She's not the typical district one person, her hair is black and her skin is tanned, she looks more like someone who would come from District twelve but I can tel immediately that she's a career. Though she's not very big but she's very strong, her arms are lean and there is a fair amount of muscle on the rest of her.

"So, you're the girl from six" She says, looking me over. Her gaze is slightly predatory as she evaluates me. "I'm Ivy, its nice to meet you, Gavin tells us you have quite the healers hand" She says, giving me a friendly smile.

"Yeah I guess I do. It's nice to meet you Ivy." I say, smiling at her. I feel a blush color my cheeks as the other careers gather around us.

"You're Ashes then, nice entrance you made last night" The boy from two's comment makes me blush even deeper red. He smiles as he sees my blush. "I'm Vivhan," he says

"I'm Natia" the girl from two

"I'm Yvonne" the girl from four whom I helped earlier

"I'm Tayten" the boy from district four.

I smile at them, trying to show that I'm not as much of a chicken shit as I feel. My stomach feels like its going to be sick and my instincts tell me not to trust these people. I know i should listen to it but now that I know these people, I can't end an alliance, not when they could bring me home to see my family.

"Come on, I'll teach you how to do hand to hand" Natia says. I look at her and realize that she expects me to learn how to fight.

"Hey, who say's you get first dibs on her?" Yvonne demands.

"I do"

"Well, I want to teach her how to use a trident"

"What good will that do her?"

"You never know"

"well, you can wait"

"Plus, I thought I told you not to do anything too strenuous" I say. Yvonne blushes and turns away

She drags me off towards the sparring ring and i have no choice but to follow her.

"Good lord, what good will trident lessons do for you if there isn't even a trident once we're in the arena?" She mutters half to herself. I shrug in response. She leads me over to the sparring ring and steps in. "Here, the first lesson is how to stand" She says, standing in a pose i can tell she's practiced most of her life.

I attempt the pose but she has to adjust me. She gives me a lot of pointers before we are finally ready to begin the actual fighting part.

"Alright, you want to stay up on your toes so that you keep balanced and so that you can move around easily" She says. I rise up onto the balls of my feet and find my balance improves quite a bit. We circle each other for a few moments before she lunges at me. I sidestep quickly, avoiding her blow and tackle her. She's faster than I am and I'm not quite so coordinated as she is. I land hard on the floor and pain shoots through me. It's not that bad though, I'll live.

"Your good for someone who wasn't trained" She says, helping me up.

"Thanks" I say, feeling a smile play at the corners of my mouth. I like Natia, she seems nice.

**Thats it for Chapter 6, what did you all think. Please R&R thanks**


	7. Chapter 7-training day 1 part 2

**okay, so this is the other half of the training day. Hope you enjoy it and please R&R**

**Chapter 7-going against my nature**

As soon as we all finish lunch, I'm thrown back into training, this time, with Gavin. He takes my hand and leads me over to the swordfighting station.

"Alright, lets see what you can do" He says, looking at me expectantly

I tentatively walk over to the rack and pick up a short sword that looks deadly. The metal is cold in my hands and it just feels wrong to be standing there holding a sword. Not wanting to be seen as weak or incapable, I walk over to one of the dummies and swing the sword at it. The sword decapitates the dummy and I feel horror bubble up inside of me. _What did I just do?_

"Nice job, you've got potential"

I feel sick to my stomach as he teaches me how to properly handle a sword and after about an hour, I have to excuse myself. I run to the washroom and my lunch comes up. Suddenly, I hear a set of footsteps enter the bathroom and I attempt to appear fine. It turns out to be the girl from District five, I don't remember her name though. She sees me and looks me up and down.

"Hey, are you alright?" She asks, concern coloring her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I lie through my teeth. She looks unconvinced.

"You're as white as a sheet" She says.

"I'm fine alright, I did get sick but I'm fine now, don't tell anyone I'm in here alright," I say. She nods, taken aback slightly by my outburst.

"I'm Yves" She says softly. I look at her.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ashes" I say.

"I know who you are, you're the sexy nurse from the tribute parade" Her comment makes me blush

"Yeah that's me. Anyways, the others are probably wondering where I am, see you later" I say, hurrying out

"Be careful" Her warning calls after me.

* * *

"Hey there you are, we were wondering where you'd gone" Tayten says as I approach them.

"Yeah, just had to go to the washroom sorry." I say. Gavin's eyes meet mine and I turn away, unable to face him. "Where to next?" I ask.

"Wherever you want, you've learned a lot from us today so its time for you to do something you're good at" Yvonne says. I smile. _Finally_

"Only thing is is that you have to take one of us with you" Natia says.

"I'll go" Vivhans voice surprises me. I haven't spoken much to him since the tribute parade and he makes me feel slightly uneasy.

"No, I'll go" Gavin says, giving the boy from two a dirty look. I look up at him in surprise.

"Are you sure?" I ask. He nods. I lead him away from the group, over to the edible plants station.

"This is what you want to do?" He asks, looking at me in shock. I smile and nod

"Usually, the gamemakers make sure that the berries and plants in the arena are taught at this station. Knowing that could help us get an idea of the climate in the arena" I say. He shrugs,

"Okay,"

I begin sorting and identifying the various leaves and berries the instructor lays out and I show Gavin some of them.

"This is a Bael Fruit, it's found in Rain forests and the fruit is edible, plus a great source of vitamin C." I say, showing him a medium sized fruit that is yellowish. The instructor nods in approval. I smile in satisfaction.

"interesting, how do you know about all of these plants?" Gavin asks.

"I'm a nurse, when I was first taught, they showed us all the edible plants there were" I reply. He looks impressed.

We spend the afternoon learning survival skills. I teach him how to start a fire, build a shelter, and how to tie knots.

"Impressive. We were right to add you to our alliance" his comment makes me blush

"It's nothing" i say quietly.

* * *

When the training day ends, I'm very tired. I say good-bye to the careers before taking the elevator up to the sixth floor. There, a very unhappy looking Vulcan waits for me.

"What the hell was that?" he demands.

"What was what?" I ask, knowing full well what he means

"Don't play dumb, what was with you and the careers?"

"Well sorr-ree for wanting to make an alliance that will help me get home" I snap.

"ever thought that maybe they're toying with you?" His voice rises to a yell.

"Gavins not toying with me, he's a genuinely nice guy and if you have a problem with that, it's not my issue" I keep my voice calm.

"Fine, but if they betray you in the arena, don't say I didn't warn you" With that he storms off.

Furious, I run into my room and slam the door. My room though, feels too cramped, I need air. Padding softly down the hall, I go back to the elevator and take it up to the roof. Cool evening air brushes past me and plays with my dirty blonde hair lightly. I brush it absently out of my face and walk to the edge of the roof. Below, the streets are empty which is unusal for this time of night. I close my eyes and breathe in the night air, letting it calm me down from my fight with my district partner. After a few moments, I decide to head back down to my floor and as soon as I enter my room, I strip off my training gear.

Hot water from the showers soothes me as I let my thoughts wander. _Is it possible that what Vulcan says is true? Is Gavin just toying with me?_ I wonder. I know I shouldn't have snapped at him and that I ought to appologize but I can't seem to get up the nerve. Instead, I dry my hair, put on a long flowy skirt and a nice shirt, order some food off the huge menu, and head back up to the roof. The elevator shoots me up to the roof but this time, I realize that I'm not alone. Standing at the edge of the roof is Gavin, his back to me. I am about to leave when his voice stops me

"I know you're here, come join me" His voice is soft.

I walk cautiously over to him and stand beside him at the edge of the roof. Below, there are more people in the streets than when I first came up here.

"It's beautiful isn't it" He says softly. I look at him.

"It is, makes me want to forget that the only reason I'm here is to die" I say quietly. He gives me a startled look.

"Who said anything about you dying?" He asks, looking confused.

"It's obvious I'm not gonna win, look at me, I'm not strong or good with most weapons, I'm not trained like you, my chances of winning are slight at best" I say, looking down at the streets below.

What he does next surprises me. He embraces me tightly and kisses the top of my head. "I won't let you die, I promise" He says into my hair.

"Why do you care if I live or die?" I ask, pushing away from him. His reaction surprises me.

"Because, ever since I saw you at the reapings, I felt something I can't explain, I feel drawn to you and I feel very protective of you" He says. I feel a blush color my cheeks.

"But only one of us can win" I says in a small voice. He nods, looking sad.

"Before we go into that hell hole, I have to do this once" he says. I look up at him and realize what he's going to do a split second before he leans down and kisses me. He tastes like I don't exactly know how to describe it but he tastes nice.

As soon as he breaks the kiss, he looks appologetic. "I shouldn't have done that" he says, not meeting my gaze.

"That was amazing. Gavin, I know we just met but I'm falling for you already" I say. He smiles and pushes a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"I don't know what I'll do if I lose you" He says, hugging me close. I wrap my arms around him and we stand like that for a long time.

* * *

When we finally go back inside, he rides with me down the elevator and I kiss him before stepping out of the elevator. My head feels light and slightly dizzy as I make my way into my room and flop down, exhausted from a long day. I fall asleep instantly


	8. Chapter 8-training day 2

**Hey, I'm so sorry it took so long to update this, I've been really busy but i thought I'd post today. Enjoy**

**Chapter 8-Get the hell away from me you creep**

I enter the gym on the second day of training with a single goal, that is to teach Gavin what to do in case I get hurt or worse, Die. I know that my mentor doesn't approve of Gavin but at this point, I know I'm gonna die anyways so I really don't care. I find Gavin waiting for me near the swords station and he smiles when he see's me.

"Morning, Ashes, how was your sleep last night?" He asks

"It was good, yours?"

"okay I guess" I can tell that he didn't sleep well the night before, he has huge bags under his eyes. I look up at him with concern in my brown eyes and he smiles. "I'm alright, okay, don't worry. What are we doing today?"

"I'm teaching you first aid"

"Really?" He says sarcastically and I roll my eyes.

"Yep" I say leading him over to the first aid station.

* * *

We spend most of the morning at the first aid station and by the time it's lunch, I've taught him everything I can teach him. I stand before him patiently as he puts the finishing touches on a turniquet he's fashioned out of fabric and he looks at me, his eyes shining.

"Nice job" I say

"Thanks, I had a good teacher" He says.

I smile as we head for lunch. The other careers sit with us but I notice that Tayten sits as far from us as he can. I lean over to Gavin, who sits across from me. "Whats up with him?" I whisper so that only he can hear. He shrugs.

"So, Ashes, whats it like in District 6?" Yvonne asks, looking curious.

"Well, it's mostly boring because all we ever really get to do is study except when we are dealing with patients which isn't all the time" I reply

"So, are you like a walking encyclopedia?" Natia asks, her tone mocking

I narrow my eyes at her and laugh. "Not quite" I reply, my tone slightly icy. She cocks her head, hearing a warning in my voice. "I think I'm gonna go do some more training on my own" I say, getting up and putting my tray away. No one follows me as I head to one of the stations.

* * *

I focus on the target in front of me as I raise the bow and pull back the rope. I let go and feel a pain in my hand as the cord lashes my thumb. I feel a hand on my arm as I draw the cord back one more time.

"Move your hand down a bit so the cord doesn't lash it when you release the arrow" a voice says in my ear. I turn the see the boy from district three behind me. The first thing I notice about him are his eyes. Something in their icy blue depths isn't quite right, as if his head wheren't quite screwed on properly.

I do as he says and when I release the next arrow, the cord doesn't lash me. "Thanks" I say. I watch the arrow as it embeds itself off target in the arm of a dummy. "now, I need to work on my aim" I say to myself.

"Let me help you with that" The boy says, guiding my arm so that it lines up with the target. I release the arrow and it embeds itself only slightly off target. He keeps his arm on my elbow but something about the touch makes me feel tingly.

"So who are you?" I ask

"The name's Gordy" he replies. I assume he already knows who I am.

We practice for a little bit longer before I decide that's enough shooting for one day. As I turn to leave, he puts a hand on my hip, sending an electric current down my spine. I don't like it though. I turn back to him "Yes, can I help you?" I ask, feeling a blush creep over my cheeks. He smiles cockily.

"Yes you can actually, I hear you're a nurse, perhaps you can help me" He says, pulling me to him. I don't like this. My mind screams at me to push him away but he's too strong, struggling won't help. He pushes me against the wall and his mouth comes down on mine. I struggle against him but I'm not strong enough.

"Let me go," I say, trying to push him away. He's a bit taller than I am and he's a lot stronger.

"No, I don't want to" He says, before kissing me again. I feel panic well up inside me. Suddenly, his weight disappears off me and he's thrown back.

"Leave her the hell alone," a voice roars. I recognize Gavins voice and I gasp for breath. He attacks the boy until a group of peace keepers come and surround him. This frightens me because I've never seen anything like this. I've only ever seen the outcome of it and that was usually pretty bad.

* * *

After the fight, I leave the training center and head back up to my room, unable to think about anything other than Gavin, who was taken away to god only knows where. A million thoughts race through my head as I imagine what they're doing to him now then I realize that what he's done has sealed his fate in the arena, the game makers will make sure he dies. _Please not him,_ I want to scream but I know it's futile. I lie on the bed and let my eyes close, images of all the ways Gavin could die playing through my head.

* * *

I don't mean to sleep so long but I wake up to the sound of Vulcan pounding on the door. "Ashes, you're wanted." He calls

"I'll be right out" i call back, getting up.

When I walk into the sitting room, the last person I expect to see is Gavin.

**So, what did you think. Gordy's one of the guys I know only his personality has been exagerated a lot, the guy I know would probably never do what Gordy did. Anyways, please R&R thanks**


	9. Chapter 9-private training sessions

**okay, so here is chapter 9 sorry it took so long, I've been really busy.  
**

**Chapter 9-Impress them**

I don't expect the person waiting for me to be Gavin. He stands awkwardly in the dining hall waiting for me. I look at him in concern as I notice the forming black eye probably from the Peace keepers.

"I came to apologize" He says, meeting my brown gaze. I look into his dark eyes and understand why he did it.

"Come into my room, we can talk there." I say. He nods and follows me into my room. Once we are alone I sit on my bed and he sits beside me. "What happened?" I demand. He looks like he's about to cry.

"They threatened to kill you in the games if I didn't cooperate." He replies and I feel dread creep up my spine. "They told me that if I do something like that, you'll be the one who pays" He says. I rest my head on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. I feel him shaking under me and I realize how much this has affected him. _He really cares about me_ I think to myself.

"So, we'll cooperate with whatever they want" I say. He looks at me, respect in his eyes. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me in, making me feel a little bit safer.

* * *

Gavin gets sent back to his room in the morning and I get ready for the final day of training along with the private training sessions. Today is the day I have to impress the game makers so that I will get lots of sponsors, not that I'd be able to use them, I haven't exactly been friendly towards my mentors. I head out into the dining room and find Mint waiting for me. He nods and beckons me to sit next to him.

"Ashes, have you decided what it is you are going to show the game makers?" He asks. I shake my head. "You're going to want to show them the stuff the careers have been teaching you. That I think will impress them" He says. I nod.

"I know you haven't really been around much these last two days but I want you to know that we are still rooting for you because I believe that, allied with the careers, you will have a much higher chance of surviving at least to the last few people" he says, taking me aback. I was not expecting this. He smiles at me and nods

"so, you want me to stay with the careers even though they go against everything I believe in?" I ask. He nods.

"I want you to show them your healing along with fighting skills" He says

I nod. He dismisses me and I head down to training, taking some food with me.

* * *

I sit on the bench, waiting for my turn to impress the game makers. The names are called out, starting with District one female, Ivy, and then Gavin, and so on with all the districts. I don't look at Vulcan, who hasn't said anything to me in a few days and instead, I let my thoughts wander to the training session. _I have to make sure I impress them_ I think, looking around. The others chatter quietly and I notice the girl from district five sitting lonely. I walk over to her and smile.

"Hi" I say, she looks at me and smiles

"Hi"

"What's your name?"

"I'm Yves, you?"

"I'm Ashes"

"Nice to meet you"

I smile at her before she's called into her private training session. I sit next to Vulcan but don't attempt to make conversation. It's not long before I'm called in and I take a deep breath, calming myself before making my entrance. My eyes come to rest on the first aid station and I walk confidently over to it. "Ashes Davis, district six" I say before beginning.

"Please, we've already seen that, do something interesting" The head game makers says. I nod and walk over to the throwing knives station.

Launching a knife into the dummies, I hear muffled whispers from the game makers. Obviously they didn't expect me to be that great at it. I smile up at them with a feeling of victory and head over to the sword fighting station. A man dressed in padding stands there and I pick up a short sword, testing its weight in my hand and holding it the way Gavin taught me. running at top speed, I rush one of the dummies and in one swift motion, decapitate it. I turn to the next dummy and swiftly take off both arms. I hear a low whistle and turn to look at the game makers, sweat beads on my brow.

"Thank you, that is enough" The head game maker says, dismissing me with a flick of his hand. I nod, put the sword back on the rack, and pad to the elevator, taking it up to the sixth floor.

* * *

**So, what did you guys think. I love it when people review my stories and the more reviews I get, the faster I'll update. Thanks  
**

**Ani**


	10. Chapter 10-prep for interviews

**Okay, so I know this may not be everyone's fave fan fic but I do love it when people leave me reviews. It makes my day just a little bit brighter**

**Chapter 10-What to do with you?**

I sit on the couch in the sitting room, waiting for the game makers to announce the results of the past few days of training. I don't expect much as we sit in silence. By 'we' I mean Chamomile, Mint, Akiera, Winnifer, and Vulcan's stylist, Tempest. Finally, on screen, Ceasar Flickerman appears and greets us.

"Good evening, I have here in my hands the results from the last few days of the tributes' training." He says. I listen as he reads off the names and scores. Gavin scores a 10, Ivy an 8, Viv gets a 9, Natia gets an 8, Tayten gets a 9, and Yvonne gets an 8. Not bad for the careers. I smile as Yves gets a 7. Finally, it's our district. "From district 6, Vulcan has scored a 7." Ceasar says. Vulcan high fives Mint and they quiet down to hear my score. "Ashes from District six has scored a 10" he says. I'm shocked. Surely I'm not deserving of that high of a score.

"Well done, Ash, that score is excellent" Chamomile says, making me blush.

"Yeah, how'd you manage it? Oh, I know, the fact that you're in with the careers. They're gonna tear you to bits" Vulcan says, storming out of the room. I look down the hallway to where he disappeared but say nothing. Akiera looks that way too before turning back to me.

"Don't mind him, he's just jealous because you scored better than he did" She says. I nod, feeling dread in the pit of my stomach.

As soon as I can, I slip away from the sitting room and take the elevator up to the roof. It's deserted so I go over to the railing and look down. The streets are beautiful in the light of the setting sun, all the buildings reflecting the light. _It's beautiful _I think to myself, taking a seat on a bench. The evening air is still relatively warm and I lean back, closing my eyes. Suddenly, the door to the roof bursts open and I hear a voice I recognize almost instantly; it's Tayten from district four. _What could he want_ I wonder as I look at him.

"You, Gavin wants you downstairs." He says breathlessly.

"what for?"

"he didn't say"

I nod and follow him downstairs to the first floor.

"You do know that theres a thing called an elevator right?"

"Yeah, I just don't like them" this surprises me

"why not?" I don't expect an answer so when I get one, it catches me off guard

"My dad died in an elevator accident" he says

"Oh…" I trail off as I follow him down the stairs to the bottom floor. He disappears into one of the rooms and I follow him. Gavin sits on his bed and smiles as I enter.

"Thanks, Tayten, you can leave now" He says. The district four boy leaves quietly and I look at Gavin.

"What's up?" I ask.

"I wanted to congratulate you on your training score, nice job on scoring a ten." He says, I feel a blush creep over my face.

"Thanks" we look at each other for a few moments in silence, finally, he pats the space beside him.

"Come sit with me" I sit next to him and he puts an arm around me. Fear suddenly washes through me as I realise just how close the games are.

"The games are in three days" I state. He nods. "What the hell am I going to do?"

"We'll protect you" He says soothingly.

"But I'm not a career" I look up into his eyes, fear clear in my gaze.

"That's fine, we've decided already that we will bring you as far as we can" He gives my shoulder a squeeze. I feel unease creep into my stomach.

The next morning, Chamomile wakes me up with a soft voice.

"Come on Ashes, it's time to get up, we have a lot of work to do today" she says

I blink open my brown eyes and look at her, unamused. She smiles sweetly at me and I get up, giving her the death glare.

"What are we doing today?" I ask.

"Deciding what you're going to do for the interviews" she replies

I spend the morning with Baylee, learning how to walk in like six inch heels and how to sit with a full length ball gown. My feet hurt like hell by the time I walk into my content session with Chamomile and I flop into the chair across from her.

"Rough morning?" She asks. I nod, looking at her. "Don't worry, we won't be trying on any dresses this afternoon we're going to figure out what your interview angle will be." She says, smiling at me.

"Thanks, my feet are absolutely killing me" I say, waiting expectantly.

We talk for a little while before she decides what my interview angle will be. "I've decided that your angle will be sweet and flirty." She says, looking at me. I nod, not really buying it. "I want you to answer my questions in character of a sweet, flirty girl from district six" she says

"But that's not me" I protest. She silences me with a look

"It doesn't have to be the real you, people just have to like you"

_This is going to be interesting_ I think as I begin answering her questions in character. After a few, I find myself falling into the character and it becomes a lot more real.

"Now you've got it, if I didn't know you, I'd think this was actually you" I smile at her. "alright, I think that's it for today, you're released to do as you please till dinner" I thank her and head to my room to take a nap or something


	11. Chapter 11 Interviews

**So, I know it took a while to update this but I will be adding 2-3 chapters today, enjoy**

**Chapter 11-Make me believe you**

"Ashes, come on, we are here to make you look amazing for your interviews." Alyea says in her high squeaky voice as she bounces into the room. I turn over with a groan, her voice hurting my sensitive ears. "Don't make me get the water" She says warningly. I growl at her but oblige to getting up. My prep team stands before me, carrying bags and cases full of god only knows what and I'm hurried into the bathroom where I'm told to bathe. I do as I'm told before they pretty much attack me with beauty products.

"Is all of this really necessary?" I ask. They all nod. "Fine, just get it over with" I say impatiently. I don't feel that great and I just want this whole thing to be done and over with.

My prep team silently makes me over before handing me over to my stylist, Winnifer. She smiles at me and I can't help but smile at her. She's been good to me so far and doesn't deserve my grumpy mood. I find my happy place and sit still while she does my make-up and hair.

"Alright, you can look now" She says, turning me around so that I can look in the mirror. I look stunning, at least my face does, the rest of me still looks ordinary. I smile at her in the mirror and she smiles back. "Alright, let's get you ready for your interview. I have your dress here" she says, unzipping a canvas bag. Inside is a pretty teal colored dress that looks to be about knee length, with a white bow around the middle of it.

Winnifer helps me get into the dress and zips it up in the back, letting it fall around my body so that I can get a good look at the dress. It looks lovely on me, the teal really making my skin glow. My hair falls in soft ringlettes down my back while my face looks flirty.

"It's amazing, thank you" I say, knowing this will probably be the last outfit of hers I get to ever wear.

"Make me proud" she says, giving me a hug. I return her hug before we are summoned for the interviews.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the sixty-sixth annual hunger games. This year it looks like we have quite the mix of tributes. Let's give them a warm welcome" Ceasar Flickerman says excitedly. The capitol people go crazy. A flutter of nervousness fills my stomach but I swallow it down as I walk out behind Yves district partner. I haven't seen Gavin since the night of the private training sessions and I'm anxious to see him. As soon as my eyes find him, I can't look away. He looks stunning in his midnight blue tuxedo with lighter blue accents. He meets my gaze and flashes a smile at me. I smile back before taking my seat.

I listen quietly as the interviews begin. Ceasar welcomes Ivy and they talk for a little while, I don't really pay attention though, I'm too focused on Gavin, who's making eyes at me. A blush colors my cheeks as the buzzer goes off and Ivy walks back to her seat. My gaze follows Gavin as he makes his way up to the host and they joke around easily with each other.

"So, Gavin, a handsome man like you must have someone back at home who's special to him. Tell me, who's the lucky girl?" Ceasar asks. I hold my breath.

"Well, there is this one girl" my heart drops. "Actually, we only met a short time ago. She's so sweet and gentle," he says. I realize then that he's talking about me.

"Oh, and what might her name be?" Ceasar won't lay off it.

"I'll give you a hint, Ceasar, she's one of the tributes who isn't a career but did almost as well as one in the training" He replies. I look on the screen and see that the producers have figured it out and they're pointing the camera at me. I blush madly as I look at the camera. A smile pulls up the corners of my mouth and I look at Gavin, who's smiling softly at me.

"Awwww Isn't this tragic folks, it appears we have star-crossed lovers in the games" Ceasar says, making the camera turn away from me and back to the interview. The audience loves it and when the buzzer rings, he gets loud applause.

When it's finally my turn, I walk up to Ceasar carefully and he greets me warmly.

"Welcome Ashes, that was quite the announcement Gavin made earlier" He says, making me turn beat red.

I laugh nervously. "yeah, it was" I say.

"Oh, no need to be nervous dear, you look lovely, doesn't she folks" he asks the audience. They shout out encouragements. Feeling better, I settle down into a chair as Ceasar starts the interview. "So, do you have any family at home that are rooting for you?" He asks.

"Yes, I have my mom, my step-dad, and my two siblings all cheering for me. I miss them a lot and I'll do what I can to get home to them" I say. He nods.

"I don't doubt you will," He says as the buzzer goes off. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, Ashes Davis of District six" The Capitolites go crazy as I walk off the stage and I hear a few whistles at my dress. Once I'm back in my seat, I zone out for the rest of the interviews.


	12. Chapter 12 day oneBloodbath

**Because I'm feeling generous today**

**Chapter 12-Welcome to hell**

The next morning, I wake up with anxiety clawing at my stomach. I dress, eat, and follow Chamomile out to where the hovercraft is waiting to take us to the arena. _This is it_ I think, hugging Chamomile good-bye before boarding the hovercraft and taking a seat. A woman comes around with a needle and takes my arm, injecting a tracking device into my arm. It hurts but I don't resist as she puts it in and lets go of my arm. I feel my arm gingerly and am able to feel the bulge where the tracker is buried under my skin. _Wouldn't want to lose a tribute_. I look around the hovercraft and spot Gavin beside me. He takes my hand in his and squeezes gently.

The hovercraft takes off and I look out the window until it blacks out, indicating we are nearing the arena. Fear claws at my stomach and a little bit of panic kicks in, making my heart beat race. "Breathe, Ash, it's gonna be alright, you're not gonna die today" he says, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. I look around the hovercraft and catch the district three boy's gaze. It gives me chills the way they look at me. I shrink back and look away before he can see the fear in my eyes.

When the hovercraft lands, we are lifted into a dark tube that brings us under the arena. The people at home call the launch rooms the stockyards, the place where cattle wait to be slaughtered. Winnifer waits for me in the room marked D6 F and she gives me a grim smile. I grimace as I shower and she helps me into the outfit that all tributes will wear into the arena. It is a light green t-shirt, beige trousers, beige hiking boots, and a dark green waterproof jacket.

"The jacket is breathable, expect the climate to be very warm and muggy." She says, helping me into the jacket. I nod and we sit in silence for a few minutes.

"Prepare for launch" a woman's voice says over the speaker. Terror rips through me as I look at Winnifer.

"I'm not ready to die" I say.

"It's alright, Gavin won't let you die" She says. I step onto the plate and a glass tube drops down, cutting me off from her. _No, no, no,nononononononono_ I think as the plate begins to push me up. For a few moments, I am in complete darkness then, the plate pushes me out into hot sunlight. I blink a few times before my eyes adjust to the harsh sunlight. Looking around, I notice that we are on some sort of tropical island, palm trees are spread out behind me while in front of me sits the giant horn called the cornucopia. It's filled with supplies that we will need in the arena.

Sixty seconds is all I have to figure out what I'm going to do. _Gavin told me to stay out of it_ I remember. The gong rings but I stay where I am. I can't watch the fighting that is starting to break out at the cornucopia. I look around instead to see who's smart enough to get the hell out of the bloodbath before they're killed. Suddenly, I hear Yves voice close by.

"Ashes, look out" She yells at me. I turn to see the district three boy running at me with a knife. He slams into me and We fall from the platform. I fight him, trying to get free until he pins me under him.

"Well, six, where's your boyfriend now? Who's going to save you from me?" He taunts. I feel anger bubble up inside me and with all the strength I can muster, I spit in his face. He wipes the spit from his face and in one quick motion, he stabs me in the side of the stomach. The pain is so brutal that I see stars and I can't help but scream. Yves attacks him and he's knocked off me. I try to get my bearings but my sides hurt so much that I can't even think.

"Gavin" I scream with the last of my strength before I slump back but unfortunately, don't lose consciousness. I can still hear everything that's going on but thankfully, the pain has been numbed. I know that it's probably not a good sign but I don't care, it's better than being in agony_. This is it, this is how I die._ I think as I feel my mind begin to go blank. I get the sensation of being lifted before I black out into oblivion.

**Chapter 12- Why am I still alive**

I expect to die when I black out but somehow, I manage to hold on to that little thread of life still left inside me. When I regain consciousness, the first thing I notice is that my side doesn`t hurt much. It`s still sore but it`s manageable. I blink open my eyes to warm afternoon sunlight and try to get my bearings. I`m in some sort of hammock between two palm trees and my side is bandaged. Apparently teaching someone first aid paid off. I try to sit up but my head spins.

"Easy there" A familiar voice says nearby. I look over to see Gavin standing beside the hammock. He smiles at me and I try to smile back, but it turns into a grimace as pain flashes through my side. I wince and lie back, resting my head on a pillow someone's put behind my head. Then confusion rushes through me.

"Wait a minute, Gavin, why am I still alive?" I ask. "I thought you guys would have killed me because I was hurt."

"Do you want the honest truth?" I nod. "We need you, your skills with healing will help us a lot and will allow us to make it through to the end" He replies. I sigh but close my eyes, feeling exhausted.

"Who's left, please tell me you didn't kill Yves" I say. He looks at me in confusion. "The district five girl" I clarify. He nods.

"I don't know, I guess we'll find out tonight" He replies. "But we let the girl from five go because she saved your life" He says. I let out a sigh of relief and close my eyes.

"Wake me when the anthem starts" I instruct. He nods and leaves me alone while I go back to sleep.

I have a nightmare while I sleep.

_I run through a dark forest and for some reason, know that something is chasing me. What exactly it is I'm not sure. I run for what seems like forever before I finally burst into a clearing with a dead end. There's nowhere for me to run. I turn on my heal and face my pursuer, who's footsteps are now clearly audible. A figure bursts into the clearing and fear races through me as I see that it's the boy from district three. He sprints towards me and slams into me. We fall to the ground but this time, he has two daggers that he uses instead of just a knife. He pins me under him and I try to fight but he's too strong. He grins maliciously at me and slashes at me. I scream and wake up_. I'm drenched in sweat and the others are gathered around me with concerned looks on their faces.

"It was just a nightmare, no worries" I say, trying to convince myself of that. I look around and notice that it's almost sunset; the anthem will be played soon.

"are you sure you're alright, Ash?" Gavin asks, concern coloring his voice clearly. I nod. I feel a little bit better but my side still hurts.

"We're going hunting tonight, you gonna stay here and look after your girl-friend or come with us?" Natia asks. Gavin looks at her.

"I'm gonna stay here" he replies. I feel a blush creep over my cheeks from being called his girl-friend. The others gather up weapons from a pile of supplies they've gathered and head out, leaving Gavin and I alone. I sit up and let him sit beside me in the hammock, trying my best not to wince when the movement sends a stab of pain through my side. He carefully slides his arm around my waist and pulls me into him. I curl against his side as best as I can without crying out in pain. His hand moves away from my waist suddenly and I look down to see the bandage is covered in blood.

"Shit, that's not a good sign. I know what to do, I can walk you through it if you're not too squeamish" I say, looking at him. He grins at me, hearing the challenge in my voice.

"I think I can handle a bit of blood, I'm a career after all" he says.

"Alright, I need a needle and thread, I'm gonna walk you through giving me stitches." I say. He looks at me dubiously but does as I say. Within moments he's returned with a needle and a spool of thread.

I rip away my shirt, giving him a good view of the wound which is trickling with blood. He cuts a length of thread and I thread it through the needle head, handing it back to him afterwards.

"okay, start from the bottom and work your way up" I instruct, trying not to think about the fact that he's seeing me half naked. Nonetheless, a blush colors my cheeks against my will and he notices.

"What are you blushing about?" He teases. I giggle but stop when it makes a stab of pain go through my side.

"You and the fact that you're seeing me like this" I reply, my eyes sparkling. His eyes light up as he gets to work stitching the stab wound together. I wince every so often until he finishes and sits back, inspecting his work. I also inspect his work and give him a thumb up.

"You should eat" He says, putting a piece of dried meat in my hand. I don't feel hungry but I know I'll need the energy. I eat the meat and drink a little bit of water, wincing when it hurts like hell. He sits next to me and rewraps the stitches. They aren't exactly neat but they'll keep it from bleeding freely. Once he's finished, I lie back in the hammock and after a moment's hesitation, he joins me. I curl up against him, better able to do so because now I'm not wincing with every movement. He puts his arms around me and pulls me against him. We look up as the anthem starts and the faces begin to appear in the sky. The boy from three, the boy from 5, both from 7, the girl from 8, and all from 10-12 are dead. 11 dead in total. _Wow, that's a lot of kids dead. _I think as we watch the sky until the anthem ends and the sky goes dark.

"Thank you, for rescuing me and for taking me into the pack" I say, turning to face him. He looks at me for a moment before replying.

"Ash, if anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I'd do." He says, making me blush. Suddenly, footsteps sound in the forest and he sits bolt upright, looking around the dark clearing. "Who's there?" He demands, pulling out a sword from his belt. I shrink back instinctively as he draws the sword and he gets up, stalking towards the sound. I watch him go until he disappears into the darkness and I hear a cry of fear.

Gavin stalks back into the clearing, dragging a figure behind him who I instantly recognize as Yves. "Gavin, leave her be, she saved my life, I owe her a lot" I say. He lets the girl go and she looks at me with her dark eyes. "what are you doing here, you could have been killed" I say urgently to her. She nods.

"I know but I heard something I think you need to hear" She says. "The other careers don't think you're worth keeping around and want to kill you soon. I heard the blonde haired one say he wanted to kill you quickly because he wanted to be merciful" She says. I look at Gavin with fear in my eyes.

"When did you hear this?" Gavin demands.

"I heard it about half an hour ago, it didn't sound like all of them agreed with him but I thought it would be better to be safe than sorry" She says. Gavin nods and I do too.

"When I get my hands on Tayten" He mutters. I put my hand on his arm reassuringly.

"I'll go with Yves, you deal with the others" I say, trying to get up. It quickly becomes apparent that I'm in no condition to travel, the wound on my side won't allow it. "Damnit" I curse, lying back. "There goes that idea"

"I'll deal with them, you stay here, you too Yves, it'll be safer for you here with us" Gavin says. Yves looks like she's about to protest but I give her a look and she shuts up.

I lie quietly as the others return and Gavin acts natural. Yves remains hidden because we know that the others will kill her if she's spotted.

The others are tired when they return from their hunt and fall asleep quickly, leaving Gavin and I to keep watch. Gavin waits for a little while before going into Taytens tent. I don't watch as he takes the boy's life but I hear the cannon boom when he's dead.

"It's done" Gavin says, coming out of the tent. I nod, feeling guilt wash through me. He seems to sense this and comes to sit beside me. "it's gonna be okay Ash" he says as the hovercraft appears in the dark sky and a claw drops down to take Taytens body.

"I know" I murmur leaning on him and closing my eyes.


	13. Chapter 13 Day two

**and voila! Update number three **

**Chapter 13-Dealing with the repercussions of death**

It isn't till the next morning that all the death hits me. I wake up in the morning and I can't breathe. Images flash before me of all the kids who died yesterday and I feel sick to my stomach. I look over to where Gavin sleeps peacefully and realize that he's just like them, he's a killer too. My mind goes numb and I stare off into the distance. This should scare me but the feelings that are threatening to overwhelm me are too hurtful to deal with. My eyesight goes fuzzy purposely as I stare around the clearing_. I don't feel anything, nothing is wrong_ I tell myself, forcing myself to feel numb.

After a little while, I realize that I'm hungry. I get up and find that my side doesn't hurt as much. I pick something from the pile of supplies and return to the hammock. Something silvery catches my eye and I look up to see a parachute falling towards me. I reach up and catch it before it hits the ground, then I open it to find a healing salve inside.

"Thank you Chamomile and Mint" I breathe, opening the lid and applying some of it to my side. Instantly, the salve goes to work healing the wound shut. I take a deep breath in and smile when it doesn't make me wince.

"What did you get?" Yves scares the shit out of me. I had completely forgotten she was still here.

"Don't do that, I just got some healing salve for my wound" I say. I stick my tongue out at her and she does the same. "You should probably leave now, before the others wake up" She nods.

"You should come with me, I don't trust the careers at all" She says. I look at Gavin's sleeping form and remember how easily he killed the boy from four.

"Okay, just let me grab a few things from the pile and we can head out" I say, standing up again. I gather up a few things from the supplies pile; a set of knives, two backpacks, three water bottles, and a bag full of food. When I go back to Yves, she looks at me with a small smile. "Ready?" I ask. She nods and we take off into the forest, hurrying to cover as much ground as we can before the careers wake up to find us gone and their supplies pile raided.

Hot late morning sun falls onto my back as we trek through the arena. It would appear to be a tropical island with jungles full of exotic colors and life forms. I can't move at a jog because my side still hurts but we manage to move at a relatively fast walk. We stop every so often to drink from our water bottles and at noon time we eat some of the food.

"I wonder if they've figured out we're gone yet" I say. Yves shrugs.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough" She says. My legs feel tired from the trek and I find a fallen log to sit on for a few moments.

"I wonder what my family is doing right now" I wonder out loud.

"How many people are in your family?" Yves asks

"five; my mom, my step-dad, my sister, my brother, and myself." I reply. She nods.

"What about your dad?"

"I don't like to talk about it" My voice is down cast. The memory of that day plays through my head.

_It had been a cold day in March two years ago and I'd had it with my step-mother. She was mean and a control freak. She'd find something in you and would sink her claws in until she got what she wanted. I'd come home late after a friend's birthday party and she'd taken away my keys. That was the last straw. That night, I left and never came back. I'd refused to speak to my father ever since for having let her do that._

I look down at the food in my hands and feel a tear fall down my face. I miss my father. Longing rips through me as I think about the fact that I didn't even say good-bye to him. _I love you dad_ I think before pushing the memory away, there are more important things to worry about at the current moment. Yves just sits in silence, allowing me to mourn undisturbed. I feel grateful for that and smile when I look back up at her.

"Should we keep moving or do you want to stop here?" I ask. The sun is still fairly high in the sky, I would guess we have about 6 hours of daylight left.

"I think we should keep going" she replies. I nod and grab my back pack, hoisting it onto my back before we head out.

We continue traveling for a little while before a tree branch behind us breaks and I turn, raising one of the knives in the case we took from the pile. It turns out to be Vulcan, although he's not really a threat because he's injured. His right arm hangs awkwardly, most likely broken, and a steady stream of blood trickles from a gash on his forehead. A stab of pity for this boy who is my district partner washes through me and I search our bags for a first aid kit. That's when I remember I have the healing salve. I pause for a moment. _Killing him would be the merciful thing to do but it goes completely against everything I've been taught_ I think. I'm torn between whether to kill him or not and finally decide to heal him. I pull out the healing salve and put a little bit of it on his forehead. It closes quickly and he presses a hand to his forehead.

"Where did you get this?" He asks.

"Chamomile"

"Wow, wait, why didn't you kill me?"

"Because it's against my nature" This makes my district partner pause for a moment while he thinks about that.

"You left the careers" He looks at me with confusion

"I'm not a killer, I can't be around people who think nothing of killing because that sword or knife could eventually be turned on me"

"I see your point, what about her?" He asks, pointing to Yves.

"She's a friend of mine. Yves, this is Vulcan, Vulcan meet Yves"

"Nice to meet you" Yves says, looking a little suspicious.

"You too" Vulcan also looks suspicious. I don't really blame either of them, this is the hunger games after all.

"So, what are you doing here?" I ask, looking at Vulcan.

"I'm just looking for somewhere to make camp for the night" He replies. I nod, not really wanting to invite him to join us.

``Anywhere you`re going in particular?" Yves asks. He shakes his head.

"I'm gonna go, hopefully the next time we meet, it won't be because I have to kill you" He says, taking off into the forest in the opposite direction we'd come from.

* * *

**Back at the careers camp….**

Gavin's eyes blink open as he hears movement around the camp. He sits up and looks around before noticing that Ashes is gone. She's not in the hammock where he left her the night before and Yves is also gone. _They left us_ His anger sparks. After all he'd done for her. He stands and picks up his sword lying near him. _If I find either of them, I'll kill them._ He thinks before realizing what Ashes must think of him, how easily he'd killed the district four boy the night before. "It's against my nature" She'd said. No wonder she'd left, she was probably terrified. He looks at the others and sees that they've all discovered that Ashes is gone as well.

"Where'd she go?" Yvonne demands.

"My guess is we scared her" Ivy replies.

"Good riddance, one less mouth to feed" Natia says.

"I don't know, I think we should go after her" Viv says, looking slightly concerned. Gavin doesn't like the look in Viv's eyes. Ashes is his and only his. He wasn't willing to share.

"She'll be dead in a few days, with that wound in her side she won't make it very far" Ivy says. His anger with his district partner sparks as he looks at the clearing. Nobody is to talk about Ashes that way, not under his watch anyways.

"not if I have anything to say about it." He says. "I'm going after her"

His district partner looks like she's about to protest but he gives her a look that shuts her up

* * *

**Back to Ashes and Yves**

"do you think they're looking for me?" I ask. Yves shrugs.

"It's hard to say"

The sky above is a pinkish purple color as the sun sets at the end of day two in this arena. I open one of the backpacks, curious as to what we will find in them. I find a sleeping bag and a length of pera-cord in the bottom. Useful items that could possibly come in handy later on. I smile at Yves and toss the sleeping bag to her.

"I'll keep watch, you sleep" I say. She nods and, much to my surprise, climbs a tree. "I didn't realize you could climb" I say.

"I'm the one who has to climb into the machinery and clean it out while it's off." She replies. I think about how dangerous that would be especially for someone as small as her. Images of her falling, getting caught in one of the machines, and other horrible images play through my mind. "Good night, wake me around midnight alright, or if anything happens"

I nod and listen while her breathing becomes deeper and she starts to snore softly. This leaves me alone with my thoughts and after a few moments, I realize that that is a very bad idea. I push away the images threatening to overwhelm me and curl up with my knees to my chest. Suddenly, something rustles in the bush and I grab one of the knives in the set. Raising it, I see that the sound is coming from an odd little creature with big yellow eyes and huge ears. It looks like some sort of lemur, with a long, ringed tail and small little paws. I smile at the adorableness of the creature.

The creature comes closer to me, scurrying along on its hind legs. It pauses, looking at me with its huge eyes, before scurrying right up to me and pressing its head to my side. I look down at it and smile, putting my hand hesitantly on its head. It pushes its head into my palm and I pet it gently, liking the feel of its fur. It's soft and silky, like a soft blanket.

"Well aren't you cute" I say softly. It looks up at me and chitters softly before biting my hand lightly. I wince from it and pull my hand away. The lemur thing shrinks back from me and I feel guilty instantly. I put my hand back and it chitters before curling against me. An icy wind blows against me, cutting through the light jacket like a knife. I shiver and the creature curls closer, providing a little bit of warmth.


	14. Chapter 14 day three

**Oh, and update number four today woohoo I am on a role (actually, I've just copied and pasted from word)**

**Chapter 14-Day three; shake awake our destruction**

I awaken to a terrible rumbling in the ground; The earth below my feet shakes violently and I'm thrown off my feet.

"Yves, Yves, are you alright?" I call, trying to find my companion. She's nowhere to be seen. I feel panic bubble up inside of me as the ground continues to shake. _What the hell is going on_ I wonder, calling Yves name. Instead of Yves replying though, I get another response from someone I never thought I'd hear again.

"Ash, where are you? Are you alright" It's Gavin. I can't decide whether to respond or not. I finally decide to reply.

"I'm here Gavin, I can't find Yves." I yell over the rumbling sound. I don't hear his footsteps until he tackles me to the ground and I land hard on my back. I cry out in pain and he immediately gets off me.

"Ash, I was so worried" He says, pulling me up and embracing me in a tight hug. I hesitate before returning his hug.

"I was scared, how easily you killed that boy from four, that the same sword would be turned on me" I say softly. He pushes me out to arm-length so that he can look at me and I meet his gaze.

"Never, I'd never turn my sword on you" He says, looking at me with an intensity that makes me blush.

The earth beneath our feet shakes and I'm thrown away from him. I hit the ground hard and cry out, the breath knocked out of me. I can feel the ground under me shaking and I instinctively cover my head to keep anything falling from crushing me. As suddenly as it started, the shaking stops. I try to stand but my legs are shaky and I wobble. I stumble over to one of the trees and steady myself against it.

"Gavin?" I call. I hear a pair of unsteady footsteps and an answer.

"Over here, you alright?"

"I'm fine, what about you?"

"I think so, although I don't think you want to come over to me, you won't want to see this" This of course makes me want to find him. I do just that but when I find him, I instantly wish I hadn't. Lying at his feet is a body, bruised and beaten, and I instantly recognize Yves.

"No! This can't have happened" I say, falling to my knees beside her. I take her pulse but there is none. She is dead. I feel tears fall down my face and suddenly, the effects of the last three days all come out. I curl into a ball and bawl my eyes out for all the people I couldn't save. The walls I'd built up come crumbling down as I cry my eyes out.

"Shhh, Ash, it's okay," Gavin soothes, pulling me into his arms. I sniffle and look up at him, my face streaked with tears. His eyes are warm and caring for me as we sit there for a little while before having to clear out so that the hovercraft can come and take Yves body from the world forever. I hate to see such a bright star snuffed out from the world forever. _Good bye Yves, it was amazing to have known you._ I think before looking away.

"I wonder what that earthquake was all about" I say. Gavin shrugs.

"My guess is that the game makers were trying to show their power over us"

I nod and we sit in silence for a few moments.

"What happened to the other careers?" I ask

"They were behind me when I found you but I don't know what happened to them after that" He says. I look around and notice that nothing in the jungle has changed, including the little lemur creature from last night. It comes over to us and climbs up onto my shoulder, chattering quietly.

"Hey, Lema" I say. Gavin looks at me in confusion. I pet the little lemur and it presses its head into my hand.

"I see you've made a new friend" He muses. I smile, feeling some of the sorrow lift from my shoulders. Yves is in a better place now. That's when I hear footsteps crash through the jungle and the other careers burst into view.

"Looks like you found her" Natia says. Gavin nods and stands up, pulling me up with him. Viv, I notice, has his eyes on Gavin enviously and I wonder what he's thinking. I remember the locket around my neck and finger it, opening the latch of it. Surprisingly, the images inside are still intact. They're my best friends from home; Kierin, Angie, and Vivhan. I feel a pang of longing for them, for another life where every day is not an endless battle for survival. I close the locket before looking back at the careers.

"I guess we should head back to camp" Ivy says, looking unimpressed with me.

"We could always just end it here and get all this shit over with" Yvonne says, pulling out her weapon of choice, a trident. I shrink back from her and Gavin steps in front of me protectively.

"You want to kill her, you go through me first" He says.

"Fine with me" with one quick motion, Yvonne pulls back her arm and hurls the trident at Gavin. I scream as the trident finds its mark and embeds itself into Gavin's gut. He coughs up blood and crumples to the ground. I don't even think when I go to him. He's still alive but he won't be for much longer. I pull out my throwing knives and hurl it at Yvonne but the knives never find their mark, as Natia, Ivy, and Viv all launch themselves at her, attacking her with a ferocity that surprises me. Within moments, Yvonne's cannon fires, letting us all know that she is officially dead. I sink to my knees beside Gavin as tears fall down my face. First Yves, now him, can the world be any crueller.

"Ash, I'm sorry, I tried to protect you" His voice is soft as he speaks. I take his hand, which is covered in blood, and squeeze it. He squeezes back weakly as his life ebbs away.

"I love you" I whisper, planting a final kiss good-bye on his forehead.

"I love you too. Win this for me, alright?" He says softly.

"I will" I promise him, knowing full well that I can't possibly win. I look at the others as his eyes close and I see that all of them have their heads bowed in sorrow. In a few moments, his cannon fires and I know that he's dead. _Good-bye Gavin_ I send the silent good-bye to him before turning back to the others.

"What now?" Ivy asks. Natia surprises me.

"Now, we go back to camp and try to get some rest. There's been enough death for one day to make the game makers happy" She says. "You gonna come with us?" She looks at me. I don't know what else to do so I nod. They head through the forest and I run to keep up with them. When I look back, I see the hovercraft in the sky lifting Gavin's body from the arena along with Yvonne's. Two more stars snuffed out too soon.


	15. Chapter 15 Yves last moments

**This chapter is just a quick little story about Yves last few moments of life. **

**Chapter 15-Side Story: A star snuffed out too soon**

Yves' eyes snapped open as the ground beneath her began to shake. She sat up in the tree and looked around. _What the hell?_ She thought, slightly dazed. Suddenly, the tree shook and she lost her grip, falling to the jungle floor. She landed hard on her back and grunted in pain. Rocks and debris began to rain down on her and she lifted her arms to cover her head instinctively, wincing in pain as sharp shards cut into her arms and body. She tried to curl into a ball but her legs had lost all feeling, meaning she was now paralyzed from the waist down. _Shit, now I'm dead for sure_ she thought, even if she did survive this, her chances of winning were very slim to none.

"Yves, Yves, where are you" She heard a familiar voice, her ally's, but she couldn't reply, something crushed her. A huge pressure suddenly fell onto her and she gasped before the world began to go dark and she felt herself fading away. _Good bye Ashes_ She thought before she allowed herself to leave the world for good.


	16. Chapter 16 a little piece of home

**good gosh, I'm working quickly as well as wasting time in class but I'm done a whole bunch of chapters**

**Chapter 16- A little piece of home**

I trudge back to camp in the hot mid-day sun and all I want to do is lie down in a hole and die. I stumble towards the hammock where I laid the first day while recovering from the wound in my side and lie down, closing my eyes against the pain in my heart. It feels as if someone has torn out my heart, stepped on it, and tried to super glue it back together but failed miserably. Yves, Gavin, Yvonne, all of them dead, all of them out of this hell hole. I curl up in a ball and pull my knees to my chest, feeling sobs rack my body. I can tell that the others pity me but I don't care. I have to mourn them. I look up at the clear blue sky and I feel as if the game makers are mocking me. _If you're all powerful, why don't you just kill me, it would be better than living in this hell hole._ I think, suddenly hating them, these people that tore me from my home, dressed me up, made me hopeful, and stole everything from me.

Something lands beside me and I look over to see that it is a parachute. I look up at the sky and feel Chamomile looking at me with sorrow in her eyes. I open the parachute and find inside is something that makes me think of home; my small stuffed kitten, Patch. I hug the stuffed animal to my chest and feel tears fall down my face.

"Thank you, Chamomile" I say softly. I've had Patch since I was like seven or eight years old and it's beginning to show its age. Its fur is a little ragged and one of its ears is torn but it's still mine. I hold him close and inhale the scent of his fur. It smells like herbs and home. _Home_ I think. As I hug it, I feel something brush against my skin that isn't fur and find a folded piece of paper. I unfold it and find that it is covered in notes of support from home.

_We're rooting for you, keep going Ashes, You can do it. Come home to your family._ The last note, I can tell from the handwriting, is from my mom. I feel a smile play at the corners of my lips and my spirits feel a little bit lifted. It's one of the best gifts I've ever received. I fold the note and put it into my bag before curling up with Patch and falling asleep, images of home dancing in my head.


	17. Chapter 17 day four

**I don't even know what update number this is today I've lost count. Please R&R**

**Chapter 17- While the initial volcanic eruption kills a few…**

I watch as the sun rises above the horizon on day four in the arena. Five of us are left, which makes me nervous because that means that very soon, the careers will start to turn on each other, which also means that I will soon be killed. I stroke the fire, keeping it going so that I'll have a little bit of warmth, and listen as the multi-colored birds start to sing. Their melodies are so beautiful, I wish I could just stay here and listen to them forever but I know I'll have to run soon. With Gavin gone, any protection I used to have is gone. My hair is tangled as I try to pull it back and I brush through it with my fingers, finally managing to pull it into a decent pony tail.

"Where are you going?" Viv's voice startles me and I turn to him.

"Nowhere, I'm just tired of my hair being unruly." I reply. He nods and comes to sit with me.

"There's only a few of us left, are you gonna leave before we have to kill each other?" He asks. I nod, getting up. It makes me feel slightly uncomfortable the way he looks at me, possessive, as if he can control me.

Suddenly, a huge boom fills the arena and the ground under us shakes. I'm shaken off balance and fall into the hammock. I look up and see that the mountain in the middle of the arena has exploded and ash fills the sky. I look at Viv with panic before ash begins to rain down on us. The air becomes thick and breathing becomes very hard. I cough and turn to see where the others are. That's when I see the landslide beginning to fall down the side of the mountain towards the camp.

"We have to warn the others" I say, turning to run towards the tents. "Get up, landslide coming quickly move" I yell. Natia and Ivy sit bolt upright and scramble out of their sleeping bags, hurrying to get out of the tent. I back out of the tent and watch in absolute horror as Natia escapes just before a huge boulder crushes the tent with Ivy still inside. A cannon booms and I know that she's definitely dead.

"Come on, run Natia" Viv yells. She runs towards us and we all take off into the shelter of the jungle. Ash makes breathing very difficult and I cough, feeling pain in my lungs.

* * *

We run as far as we can but it doesn't seem to be far enough. I feel dizzy from lack of air and when we stop, collapse to the ground. "If either of you are merciful, you'll kill me now and take me out of this hell hole." I wheeze from where I lay. I look at Natia who's gaze is pitiful and she nods, drawing her dagger. She approaches me and kneels down beside me.

"I hope you find happiness in the next life" She says, looking at me. I smile at her before she takes her dagger and slits my throat. The world goes fuzzy and I fade from the world forever. Somewhere far away, I hear a cannon fire signalling my death.


	18. Chapter 18 Finale

**okay so here is the finale of the games enjoy**

**Chapter 18-it's the ashes that follow that are the most deadly**

Natia looked at Viv, her district partner. She couldn`t kill him, it wasn't right to kill your own district partner. She may have been a career but she wasn't cruel or nasty. She felt sorry for the girl from six, the one who was a nurse back at home. She'd been through a lot of hurt in the few short days she'd been in the arena. Natia hoped she was in a better place.

"There are only three of us left, we should probably go our separate ways now." Viv said, looking at her. She nodded and turned on her heal, heading into the jungle. The air was still thick with ash but she could breathe still. When Natia looked back, she saw the hovercraft pick up Ashes' body and the girl from six disappeared from the world forever.

* * *

A cannon firing woke Natia from a restless sleep and she looked around. _Who was that?_ She wondered, half hoping it was her district partner so she wouldn't have to kill him. Suddenly, something burst from the jungle and lunged towards her. She screamed as she saw it was a huge jungle cat with claws like razors and teeth that protruded from its jaw. She pulled out her dagger, thinking if it was just one of them, she'd be able to handle it and she stabbed at the beast. It howled and lunged at her with its claws outstretched. She ducked under it and her career training kicked in, allowing her to move with deadly speed. She stabbed her dagger into the neck of the beast and it crumpled to the ground, dead. She felt good, her heart racing and the adrenaline rushing through her veins. She looked around, trying to find something else to fight and spotted a figure in the trees. The only thing standing between her and the victors crown.

"so, it's just you and me" The boy from district six said stepping out of the cover of the jungle. She nodded, raising her dagger. The boy from six was unarmed apart from a knife, this would be easy. Natia darted up to him and slammed into the boy, knocking both of them off their feet and sending them to the ground. They wrestled for a few moments before Natia pinned him under her.

"I'm sorry" She said quietly so that only he could hear. He nodded, looking her in the eye. In one swift movement, she slit his throat and the light died from the boys eyes. A cannon fired and she looked up. "I'm coming home" she murmured.


	19. Chapter 19-Post death

**Chapter 19- Not dead yet**

I wake up to a bright light shining in my eyes and I squeeze them shut. The light is too bright and it makes my head hurt. The light disappears behind my eye lids and I open my eyes once again to find the light not so harsh. _Where am I?_ I wonder, looking around at the room. Monitors galore are hooked up to my arm but my body looks flawless. Suddenly, the memories of the arena come flooding back and I feel confused. _Why am I still alive? _ I wonder. I had died in the arena, Natia killed me. I sit up and find that my body is covered by noting more than a sheet. Embarrassment floods me as I pull the sheet up to cover myself.

"She's awake" a familiar voice says. I look around and see Yves, my ally in the arena, smiling at me.

"Where am I?" I ask.

"You're in the tributes barracks, this is where all tributes that have died are brought back from the dead and allowed to live in secrecy." Another voice replies. I turn to see a man dressed in a white lab coat and jeans standing near one of the monitors. "You will remain here forever, as when you were brought back, you became immortal" He says. My mind has issues wrapping itself around the fact that it's not dead. Yves comes over but I notice that she's in a wheelchair. I look at her and she meets my gaze with a sad smile

"They weren't able to repair my broken back and bring back my ability to walk" She says, looking sad. I don't blame her, it is impossible to repair the nerve damage done by a broken back. She will never walk but at least she's alive.

"Is Gavin here?" I ask. She smiles.

"I had a feeling you'd be waking up soon, he's waiting for you" She replies. I try to sit up.

"Wait a minute, let me unhook you, jeez have some patience" The man says, unhooking me from the machines. Once free, I follow Yves through the barracks. Other tributes from the 66th games watch me as I go and I nod to the ones I know. A shiver runs through me when I see the boy from three but he doesn't make any move towards me. As we pass, He even gives me a sorrowful look. His eyes are still missing something but I know that at least he's not going to try to kill me again.

* * *

"Gavin," Yves says, leading me into a room with two single beds on opposite sides. One of them is occupied by a figure I recognize instantly and launch myself at.

"Ash, you're here" He says in amazement, looking down at me. I nod and hug him tightly, loving how warm he is.

"I missed you" I say, letting go of him. He kisses the top of my head,

"I'm so sorry for leaving you alone."

"It wasn't your fault"

"Still"

"Shut up and enjoy the fact that we're together again" I say, putting a finger on his lips. He smiles and leans down to kiss me. I feel warmth spread through me and I kiss him back. When he breaks away, I feel a little sad but then I realize that he broke away because we have an audience. I turn to see someone I didn't think I'd ever see again; Winnifer. She smiles at me warmly and I embrace her. "I never thought I'd see you again" I say, hugging her.

"I knew you didn't die, I felt it in my bones." She says. I smile and turn back to Gavin, meeting his gray-blue gaze.

"Who won?" I ask, knowing for a fact that the games are over. I don't know how I know I just do.

"It's all over the TV, Natia from district two won. She killed Vulcan, your district partner" Gavin replies, making me turn.

I think about the girl from two, how nice she was to me in the arena and the mercy she had. She wasn't like the careers I'd seen in the years before, she had compassion and took pity on the other tributes. She didn't kill with hate, she killed to be merciful. I nod, feeling numb slightly.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asks, wrapping his arms around me. I don't reply, instead, I just look at him.

"why are you here?" I ask, not meaning to be rude but just curious.

"The president is holding a ball for the Victor. All of you are asked to be in attendance, masked and disguised of course, but he wants you all to have a little fun" She replies. This surprises me. I suppose in years past, they've had balls for the victor but I've never heard of the dead tributes attending.

"But, what about Natia, won't she recognize us?" I ask. Winnie shakes her head.

"No, she'll never know" She replies.

I nod and let go of Gavin, following Winnifer down the hallway to where she will get me ready for the ball.


	20. Chapter 20 - final chapter

**So this is the last chapter for Ashes to Ashes. I will be writing a sequel because the ending is a cliffhanger so anyways, please R&R Thanks**

**Chapter 20 – Light up the night**

Winnifer works tirelessly on my almost flawless body. She first dyes my hair so that it is a very pretty shade of red. Then, she paints butterflies around my eyes and almost all over my face as well as flowers all over my legs and arms. I look at my reflection in the mirror and hardly recognize the person staring back at me. She is beautiful, like a creature from another planet. I turn to my stylist, feeling sick to my stomach as I realize that I am about to see Natia and she's not going to know that it's me she's seeing.

"Thank you, it looks beautiful. What am I wearing?" I ask. She smiles and pulls out a canvas bag. Unzipping the zipper, she reveals a beautiful red dress that's made of a shear material and goes down to my knees.

"Only the most fashionable things in the Capitol" She replies. I nod.

* * *

As we walk back towards where the others are waiting, I find that I barely recognize any of the kids standing before me. They've all had their hair dyed and most of them, myself included, wear different coloured contacts. I search for Gavin and almost don't recognize him, apart from the way his face lights up when he sees me. He's got blonde hair, green eyes, and covering half his face is a lions mask. He looks very handsome and very brave. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me in for a kiss. I don't linger for long because the others are watching but it's just enough to spark the desire inside me.

"Alright, come along all of you" a woman in her early thirties barks. I take Gavin's hand and follow the others as we make our way to where the ball is being held.

* * *

We are taken on a train underground to a huge building. Inside, it looks spectacular and is full of people already but I can't find Natia anywhere. She probably hasn't arrived yet. As the victor, it would be expected that she'd be the last to arrive with a huge entrance no doubt. I pull Gavin onto the dance floor once we are released and he smiles, taking me in his arms. We dance together, moving to the hypnotic rhythm of the music and I find myself in a daze. "I love you Ashes" Gavin says in my ear, making me blush. I smile up at him as he brings his mouth down on mine and I respond instantly.

"Not now, Gav, we're in public" I say, pushing him gently away. He nods. Just then, Natia makes her entrance and all eyes turn to her. She wears a beautiful deep blue ball gown and on her head is the victors crown. I turn Gavins attention to her and he nods.

"She's beautiful" he says. "Not as beautiful as you but still" He makes me blush.

* * *

We dance some more before Natia manages to come over to us. She smiles and we smile back. "Hello" She says

"Congratulations" I squeal in my best Capitol accent. I can tell she's convinced I'm from the Capitol and she nods.

"Thank you" She says, a haunted look in her eyes. She sees some resemblance to me in the person I'm playing.

"my names Fay" I say, curtseying to her. She curtseys back before walking away. I look back at Gavin and he nods, a sad look in his eyes. "What's your Capitol name?" I ask

"apparently, I'm supposed to be called Theseus" he replies. I nod.

* * *

By the time we are all taken back to the barracks, I'm pretty tired but I'm not done with Gavin yet. I take a shower and wash the butterflies and flowers from my body before dressing in a pair of shorts and a tank top. Once I'm clean, I walk into his room and find him in a tank top and his boxers. He smiles sadly at me before taking me into his arm.

"Something's troubling you" I say, looking up at him. He's showered and taken out the green contacts, although his hair, like mine, is still a different color.

"Just thinking about Natia, she seems so miserable" he replies.

"I know, I hate the fact that she doesn't know we are all alive." I say.

"Come on, let's distract ourselves" He pulls me into him and kisses me hard. I respond to him automatically, warmth spreading through me as he deepens the kiss. I feel a thrill go through me as his hand snakes up my back and I wrap my arms around his neck. I don't even realize we are moving until he falls onto the bed, pulling me down with him. I keep kissing him, knowing what I want to do. He smiles against me and flips me under him. "You are perfect Ashes"

* * *

I lie with him on his bed, contentment making me smile. He drapes an arm over me, his breath against the back of my neck soft and comforting. I curl against him, pressing my back against his chest. His grip on me tightens suddenly, to a point where it's painful and I cry out. He startles awake and lets go of me.

"Ashes, you're alive, oh thank god" he says, his eyes full of relief and fear.

"It was just a nightmare, it's okay, Gavin I'm right here" I say, wrapping my arms around his shaky form. He hesitates before wrapping his arms around me. The bliss from the night before is shattered. After a few moments, he calms down and stops shaking. I let go of him and look up into his gray-blue eyes. "It's gonna be okay" I say forcefully.

"You're here, you're alive, I'll never let you go again I promise" he says. I nod.

* * *

Later that day, we get a surprise, a peace keeper comes to our room and knocks. "you are wanted" He says. I look at Gavin and he shrugs. We follow the peace keeper towards a room where we receive a surprise; President Snow.

**End of Ashes To Ashes. The next book, Dust To Dust will be posted soon, thank you for reading. **


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